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I haven't been much to the Canadian Rockies, but everything I hear about them is great (and my experience in the US Rockies is nice), so you could hit some place like Banff (near Calgary in Alberta).
Culture-wise, I only really know Montreal and a bit around here. You can get into the Laurentian mountains and surrounding countryside relatively easily for outdoorsy stuff, too. Anyway, the biggest bugaboo to avoid in Montreal in the summer is the Grand Prix, but apparently that's been cancelled for 2009. There are a number of museums (including some good science museums for kids) as well as several popular festivals. Some of these increase crowds and probably costs, but you might enjoy them. The biggest is the Jazz Festival . The shopping is good, too, if anyone in your family enjoys that. The weather is generally pretty good in the summers, though there is a risk of afternoon thunderstorms at times.
I feel like a tour agent, but I've really enjoyed Montreal as a city.
I haven't been much to the Canadian Rockies, but everything I hear about them is great (and my experience in the US Rockies is nice), so you could hit some place like Banff (near Calgary in Alberta).
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How much time are you planning on spending here? And do you want to visit a couple of places and really get to know them or do you prefer hitting lots of places and seeing the one or two main tourist sites?
Realistically, it is impossible to visit Canada, unless you are here for a year or so. The country is vast!
Since you are flying from the UK, it is likely you will land in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver (about 2 hours longer flight).
I have not toured Montreal, but it is considered the European-style city in Canada. Lots of Quebec/French culture, cafes, bistros, etc. Should be fairly warm in the summer.
Toronto is the largest city in Canada, the business centre, and as far as Torontonians are concerned the centre of the universe! Should be sweltering hot in the summer. I spent a few weeks there in July and I could barely leave the house during the day due to the humidity.
Vancouer (where I live) has a lot of outdoorsy stuff that is available right from the city. There is skiing (even in summer) at Whistler-Blackcomb, a little over an hour's drive north. There is lots of hiking and walking right in the city and the suburbs, and there is serious hiking on the North Shore mountains again, only a few minutes from the city centre. There is also water sports on the ocean. The weather should be warm to hot, although rarely humid. And it can always rain!
I should also mention Ottawa, which is located between Toronto and Montreal. As the national capital, it has the greatest concentration of museums and such in the country. If you are here for July 1, I would recommend trying to attend the Canada Day celebration at Parliament Hill. The one day a year that Canadians become flag-waving nutbars!
Of course, there are absolutely hundreds of other places to visit, Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland is supposed to be spectacular. Drumheller in Alberta has some serious dinosaurs. The beaches and golf on Prince Edward Island are amazing. Quebec City has some great history as well as food and true Quebecois culture that is worth visiting. The aforementioned Banff/Jasper parks are beautiful too, although often overrun with tourists in the summer. And then there is the north...
If you are here for only a couple of weeks, I suggest choosing one place, and spending your vacation there, and really get to know it.
Have fun.
Last edited by greymist; 15th February 2009 at 08:57 AM..
Reason: Forgot to mention Banff
There are also the Atlantic provinces. Some great hiking trails. Halifax is full of great culture and good seafood. Louisbourg in Cape Breton is a great fort to visit. Prince Edward Island also has great lobster and ocean beaches, culture too. There is a tall ship happening in mid-July in Halifax to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Dartmouth dockyard I think.
Very welcoming people in the maritime provinces.
If you're going more for a city, I've hear that Ottawa is beautiful and I can vouch for Toronto. Also Quebec City is pretty cool, there's tons of history and culture there. As well as pretty solid nightlife, dining, etc.
A client of mine recently went skiing in Quebec. She said is minus 30, and they had to go back inside every 3 runs to avoid frostbite. Sounds a bit extreme to me, so I'd say you might want to stay away from Quebec in February.
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